Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In addition to the primary function of our commercial State ports to facilitate maritime transport, the national ports policy 2013 also recognises the role ports can also play in servicing the offshore renewable energy, ORE, sector and the need for further port capacity in this area. The programme for Government has set a target for 70% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2030 and for 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030. The climate action plan, published on 4 November 2021, has since increased the target to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. Both plans also set out how Ireland will take advantage of the potential of at least 30 GW of floating offshore wind power in our deeper waters in the Atlantic.

Given Ireland’s increased ambition in ORE and pending a review of the overall national ports policy in 2022, my Department, in conjunction with the Irish Maritime Development Office, conducted an assessment of the options for Irish State ports to facilitate the ORE sector and assist in Ireland achieving its emission reduction targets. Taking account of the conclusions and recommendations of that assessment, I have decided that a multi-port approach will be required to address the needs of the ORE industry and a policy statement will be issued in the near future setting out this approach. ORE will develop in phases on the east, south, south-west and west coasts, and a multiple of ports will be required to provide facilities for the different activities at several locations around the country and at different times for the various phases of the fixed and floating ORE developments. This multi-port approach will help maximise the economic benefits at regional as well as national level in terms of the creation of jobs and new SME enterprise that can support the development of the ORE industry. Funding for ORE-related port infrastructure is available under the connecting Europe funding, CEF, facility which is the funding instrument for the EU's trans-European transport network, TEN-T. My Department is assisting, as appropriate, the eligible TEN-T ports.

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